Combined adjustable pillow and body-support.



4 A. BBBEGKE. COMBINED ADJUSTABLE PILLOW AND BODY SU PPORT. I APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 25, 1913.

1,083,672, Patented Jan.6,1914.

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COMBINED ADJUSTABLE PILLOW AND BODY SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1913.

1,083,672. Patented Jari.6,1914.

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I4 2 as 35 2g WITNESSES: INVE NTOR M 1/6 E1]: EFtr EH: a alga v W JWQQZMJ ATTORNEYS ALBERT EBBECKE, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

COMBINED ADJUSTABLE PILLOW AND BODY-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan 6, 1914:.

Application filed August 25, 1913. Serial No. 786,403.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT EBBEoKn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Adjustable Pillows and Body-Supports; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention has reference, generally, to improvements in sanitary pillows and body-supports; and, this invention relates, more particularly, to a simple, efficient and durable adjustable pillow and bodysupport which is adapted for use as a head rest in beds and couches, and which may be quickly and easily adjusted to support the body in a reclining or in a sitting posture in the bed or couch.

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a novel and simple construct-ion of combined pillow and body support which provides a clean and comfortable head rest when lying in bed, and which is provided with adjustable mechanism whereby the same may be positioned at any desirable angle upto 90 so as to comfortably support the body in reclining or sitting postures.

The present invention is adapted for general use, but will be found particularly advantageous for use in sick-rooms, hospitals and similar institutions, the same providing a clean and sanitary device, which is comfortable in use, and which permits a free access of air about the head, therefore providing a cool support for the head or body.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pillow or supporting member with a novel adjustable supporting-frame, whereby the inclination of said pillow or supporting member may be regulated at will, together with a novel means for locking and strongly securing said supporting-frame in any of its desired adjusted positions.

Other objects of the present invention not at this time more particularly enumerated will be clearly evident from the following detailed description of this invention.

With the various objects of the present invention in view, the same consists, primarily, in the novel combined adjustable pillow and body-support hereinafter set forth; and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, all of which will be more fully described in detail in the following specification, and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claim which are appended to and which form an essential part of the said specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of the novel combined adjustable pillow and body-support, made according to and embodying the principles of my. present invention; Fig. 2 is a similar side elevation of the same with the supporting-frame adjusted to present the pillow member at an angle to serve as a support to the back or body of the user when desiring to sit up in the bed or couch; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the novel combined adjustable pillow and body-support; Fig. 4-. is a longitudinal cross section of the same taken on line 44 in said Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow at; and Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal section taken on line 55 in said Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabove described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the said drawings, the reference character 1 indicates the complete combined adjustable pillow and body-support illustrating one embodiment of the same made according to the principles of my present invention, the same comprising a pair of side-frames 2 having outwardly flaring or curved portions 3 at their forward ends. Said side-frames 2 are connected together by suitable struts or cross-bars i and 5, the same being preferably bowed or bent downwardly, as shown. Each side-frame 2 is further provided with a journal-portion 6, through which extends the shaft or rod 7 upon which said side-frames 2 are pivotally supported. Said j ournal-portions 6 are preferably located at a point on the side-frames 2 between the upper end and center thereof, in such a manner that the greater port-ion of said side-frames extend forwardly of their pivotal or fulcrumed connection with said shaft or rod 7.

The reference character 8 indicates a supporting-member, the same being preferably made of canvas, leather or some similar pliable material. The said supporting-member 8 is stretched tightly upon said side-frames 2, so as to extend from one to the other of said sideframes, the same presenting a taut or tightly stretched supporting surface between the said side-frames. The said supporting-member thus provided is secured to the outer sides of said side-frames 2 by means of binding-strips 9 and a plurality of fastening nails or screws 10 which are driven through both the binding-strips 9 and the supporting-member into a said side-frames. Of course, it will be evident that other methods of securing said supporting-member to the side-frames may be employed, hence I do not limit myself to the means shown and described, which may be taken to be merely illustrative.

The reference character 11 indicates the forwardly extending leg-members of an ad justable supporting-frame for the pillowmember above described, and the reference character 12 indicates the rearwardly extending leg-members of the same. Each leg-member is provided with a curved footpiece 13 at its free end. Each forwardly extending leg-member 11 is pivotally connected with a rearwardly extending legmember 12, and for this purpose a laterally extending shaft or rod 14 is employed, upon the ends of which the respective leg-members 11 and 12 are journaled. Fixed collars 15 are secured upon said shaft or rod 14 to properly position the said pairs of pivotally associated leg-members, and thereby prevent the same from moving longitudinally upon said shaft or rod 14. A washer 16 is placed upon each end of the said shaft or red 14 outside of the pivotally associated leg-members, and a cotter-pin 17 is passed through each end of said shaft or rod 14, outside of said washer 16, thereby securing said leg-members against removal from the shaft or rod 14. The free end of each outwardly extending leg-member 11 is provided with outwardly flaring or curved portions 18, so that the same will conform to the shape of said side-frames 2, and permit the latter to swing inside of said leg-members without obstruction. Each leg-member 11 is provided with an upwardly inclined arm 19, extending rearwardly from its point of pivotal association with said leg-members 12, and, in like manner, each leg-member 12 is provided with an upwardly inclined arm 20, extending forwardly from its point of pivotal association with said leg-members 11. Pivotally connected with the free end of each arm 19 by means of a pintle 21 is a link-member 22, and pivotally connected with the free end of each arm 20 by means of a pintle 23 is a link-member 24. The opposite ends of said link-members 22 and 24 are registered together and pivotally associated one with the other, by being journaled upon the free ends of the shaft or rod 7 upon which the side-frames 2 are journaled, thus supporting said shaft or rod 7. Suitable loose collars 25 are mounted upon said shaft or rod 7 between said link-members and said side-frames, thus properly spacing said side-frames from said linkmembers. Said link-members are secured against accidental removal from the ends of said shaft or rod 7 by means of washers 26 and cotter-pins 27, or any other suitable fastening or retaining means.

It will be apparent that when the respective pairs of leg-members are moved together, the arms connected therewith will move together also, thus causing the link members to swing upwardly, thereby carrying upward the shaft or rod 7 upon which the pillow-member is pivotally supported. By thus raising the shaft or rod 7 the forward end of the said pillow-member is permitted to swing downwardly, and thus may be inclined at the desired angle with the surface of the bed or couch. The degree of elevation of the pivotal support of the pillow may be regulated or adjusted according to the desire of the user. Adjustment of the pillow-member being thus provided for, it is necessary to provide some means for securing or looking the leg-members and parts connected therewith in the various adjusted positions. To accomplish this end I provide, in connection with each leg-member 11, a quadrant-portion 28, which is formed concentric with the pivotal connection of said leg-members upon the shaft or rod 14. Said quadrant-portion is provided with a plurality of holes or perforations 29. Each leg-member 12 is provided with a hole or perforation 30 which may be selectively registered with any one of said holes or perforations 29 of said quadrant-portion 28 by swinging said leg-members 11 and 12 together or apart as the case may be. Journaled in suitable positions upon said shaft or rod 14 are a pair of swinging-arms 31,

each having a perforated end 32. Said swinging-arms 31are retained against longitudinal movement or displacement upon said shaft or rod 14 by means of pairs of fixed collars 33 which are pinned, or otherwise secured, one upon either side of said swingingarms. Slidably supported in the perforated end 32 of each swinging-arm 31 is a longitudinally movable bolt-member 34. Said bolt-members are arranged to extend in opposite directions, so that their free ends 35 enter and are slidably supported in one of said holes or perforations 30 of the legmembers 12. Secured upon each bolt-member is a stop-collar 36, and a coil-spring 37 is mounted upon each bolt-member between its stop-collar and swinging-arm, the tension of said coil-springs tending to thrust outwardly said bolt-members, so that the free ends 35 of the same will be forced into one of the holes or perforations 29 of the quadrant-member 28, when such a hole or perforation 29 is selectively registered with the hole or perforation 30 in which the said free end 35 of the bolt-member is slidably supported. l/Vhen the bolt-members thus pass through the registered hole or perforations 29 and 30 it will be clearly evident that the leg-members 11 and 12 of each pair thereof will be locked and maintained against any further pivotal movement; in other words, the leg-members 11 and 12, together with their respective arms 19 and 20 and the respective link-members 22 and 24, will be rigidly retained or locked against movement, and consequently the shaft or rod 7 will be securely supported in the de sired elevation thereby accomplished.

When it is desired to remove the boltmembers 34 from their locking position, in order to change the adjustment of the pillow-member supporting means, the two finger-pieces or handles 38, which are respectively secured to the inner ends of said bolt-members, are moved toward each other, thus retracting said bolt-members and removing their free ends 35 from the holes or perforations 29, thereby permitting the free pivotal movement of the leg-members and the parts connected therewith. The inner ends of said bolt-members 34 and their finger-pieces or handles 38 are so spaced from each other, that upon the retracting movement of the bolt-members 34, the same will butt together before the free ends 35 of the bolt members are entirely withdrawn from the holes or perforations 30 of the leg-members 12, thus always maintaining said boltmembers in proper relation to said legmembers 12, and ready to enter one of the perforations 29 of the quadrant-member 28 when the leg-members 11 and 12 are again adjusted in a desired position. The said swinging-arms 31 are mounted to turn on the shaft or rod 14 so that they will follow the movement of the leg-members and there fore always maintain said bolt-members 34 in proper alinement no matter into what position said leg-members may be moved.

From the above description it will be ap parent that the present invention provides a novel and simply constructed. pillow and body-support, which is readily and quickly adjusted to support the head or body of the user in any desired position, the same providing a support which is cool, clean and comfortable.

Of course, it will be readily understood that many changes may be made in the above described construction of my invention and its detailed parts, and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, I intend, therefore, that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. I also desire to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim 1. In a device of the kind described, an adjustable supporting frame-work, a pillowmember comprising a pair of side-frames, laterally extending downwardly bowed cross-bars interconnecting said side-frames, and a supporting-member connected with and stretched between said sideframes, means for pivotally mounting said pillowmember on said frame-work, and means for locking said framework in a desired ad justed position.

2. In a device of the kind described, pairs of pivotally connected oppositely extending leg-members, a toggle-mechanism connected with and operated by each pair of leg-members, a transversely extending shaft supported by said toggle-mechanism, and a'pillowmember pivotally mounted upon said shaft so as to extend between said pairs of leg members.

3. In a device of the kind described, pairs of pivotally connected oppositely extending leg-members, a toggle-mechanism connected with and operated by each pair of leg-members, a transversely extending shaft supported by said toggle-mechanisms, a pillowmember pivotally mounted upon said shaft so as to extend between said pairs of legmembers, and means for locking said pairs of leg-members and their toggle-mechanisms in a desired fixed position to determine the elevation of said shaft carrying said pillowmember.

4. In a device of the kind described, an adjustable supporting frame-work comprising pairs of opposite extending leg-members, a transverse rod upon which said leg-mem bers are pivoted, upwardly inclined arms connected with each leg-member, link-members pivoted to each arm, a transverse shaft journaled in said link-members, a pillowmember pivoted on said shaft, and means for locking said leg-members in adjusted relation to each other comprising a quadrant member having receiving-openings connected with one leg-member of each pair, the other leg-member of each pair having an opening selectively registrable with the receiving-openings of said quadrant-member, and a pair of oppositely extending retractable spring-actuated bolt-members the free ends of which are receivable in said registered openings.

5. In a device of the kind described, an adjustable supporting frame-work comprising pairs of oppositely extending leg-menibers, a transverse rod upon which said legmembers are pivoted, upwardly inclined arms connected with each leg-member, linkmembers pivoted to each arm, and a transverse shaft 'journaled in said link-members; a pillow-member comprising a pair of sidefraines pivoted on said shaft, laterally extending downwardly bowed cross-bars interconnecting said side-frames, and a supporting-member stretched between said sideframes; and means for locking said legmembers in adjusted relation to each other comprising registrable bolt-receiving openings in each pair of leg-members, and a pair of oppositely extending spring-actuated boltmembers the free ends of which are receivable in said registered openings.

6. In a device of the kind described, a supporting frame-work, a pillow-member pivotally mounted on said frame-work so that its forward end over-balances its rearward end, said pillow-member being wider at its forward end than at its rearward end.

7. In a device of the kind described, an adjustable supporting framework, a pillowmember comprising a pair of side-frames, each side-frame being provided with an outwardly turned or flared portion at its forward end, laterally extending downwardly bowed cross-bars inter-connecting said sideframes, a supporting-niember connected with and stretched between said side-frames, and means for pivotally mounting said sideframes on said frame-work so that the forward end of said pillow1nember over-balances its rearward end.

8. In a device of the kind described, an adjustable supporting framework, a pillowmember comprising a pair of side-frames, each side-frame being provided with an out wardly turned or flared portion at its forward end, laterally extending downwardly j usted position.

9. In a device of the kind described, pairs of pivotally connected oppositely extending leg-members, each leg-member having an upwardly curved foot-piece, a toggle-mechanism connected with and operated by each pair of leg-members, a transversely extending shaft supported by said toggle-mechanism, a pillow-member pivotally mounted on said shaft between said pairs of leg-members so that its forward end over-balances its rearward end, said pillow-member being wider at its forward end than at its rearward end. 7

10. In a device of the kind described, pairs of pivotally connected oppositely extending leg-members, each leg-member having an upwardly curved foot-piece, a toggleinechanism connected with and operated by each pair of leg-members, a transversely extending shaft supported by said togglemechanism, a pillow -1nember pivotally mounted on said shaft between said pairs of leg members so that its forward end over-balances its rearward end, said pillowmember being wider at its forward end than at its rearward end, and means for locking said pairs of leg-members and their togglemechanisms in a desired fixed position to determine the elevation of said shaft carrying said pillow-member.

11. In a device of the kind described, pairs of pivotally connected oppositely extending leg-members, each leg-member having an upwardly curved foot-piece, a toggle-mechanism connected with and operated by each pair of leg-members, a transversely extending shaft supported by said toggle-1necha nism, a pillow-member comprising a pair ofside-frames, each side-frame being provided with an outwardly turned or flared portion at its forward end, laterally extending downwardly bowed cross-bars interconnect ing said side-frames, a supporting-member connected with and stretched between said side-frames, and means for pivotally mounting said side-frames on said shaft between said pairs of leg-members so that the forward end of said pillow-member over-balances its rearward end, and each forwardly extending member of said pairs of leg-members having an outwardly turned or flared portion corresponding to the outwardly turned or flared portions of said side-frames.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 22nd day of August, 1913.

ALBERT EBBECKE.

Witnesses:

EVA E. Dnsor-r, GEORGE D. RICHARDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington. D. G. 

